Christian Brothers University has withdrawn an invitation to host a conference featuring a Catholic theologian who supports women's ordination and who preached at a family member's same-sex wedding in 2009.

Dr. Ada Maria Isasi-Diaz, a professor at Drew University Theological School, is the keynote speaker at this year's Vanderhaar Symposium, originally scheduled March 15 on the CBU campus.

The conference, established in honor of the late Dr. Gerard Vanderhaar, a CBU professor for 28 years, will be held with Isasi-Diaz as the main speaker, but it has been moved to First Congregational Church on South Cooper.

"Due to the divergence from a basic Catholic teaching, we regret that we decline to host this year's Vanderhaar Symposium speaker, Dr. Ada Maria Isasi-Diaz," CBU administration explained in a note to the Vanderhaar selection committee, according to a resolution discussed and adopted Thursday afternoon by CBU's Faculty Assembly.

"The Faculty Assembly respectfully asserts that the administration of this university does not hold proper authority to render judgments about an individual's divergence or adherence to basic Catholic teachings," the resolution stated. "The decision to rescind the invitation to Dr. Isasi-Diaz to speak on our campus has a chilling effect on academic freedom at this university."

Elisa C. Marus, CBU's vice president for communication, issued a statement Thursday, but it didn't mention the decision not to host the symposium or the faculty resolution. "Dr. Ada Maria Isasi-Diaz will be welcomed at the First Congregational Church at the Vanderhaar Symposium's sponsored event," she said.

Bishop J. Terry Steib of the Catholic Diocese of Memphis issued a statement affirming CBU and its president, Dr. John Smarrelli Jr. "I fully support Dr. Smarelli in his decision," Steib said Thursday.

Isasi-Diaz, who co-authored the first book on Latina theology in English, said she was disappointed by CBU's action, but thankful that First Congregational Church has offered to host the symposium.

"It is painful not to be welcomed home, but I am grateful that someone else has opened their home to me," said Isasi-Diaz, recognized as one of the pioneers of mujerista theology.

The subject of her speech at the Vanderhaar Symposium will be "Compassion and Solidarity: Struggling for Justice, Building Peace."

Isasi-Diaz, a native of Cuba who became a political refugee in 1960, said she spoke publicly in Memphis in the 1970s, when then-Bishop Carroll Dozier invited her to participate in a conference on women's ordination.

She said she has had other speaking engagements at Catholic colleges and meetings canceled at the last minute, because of her support for Catholic women's ordination. "But this is the first time I've been canceled because of the sermon at my nephew's wedding," she added.

The faculty resolution stated that CBU withdrew Isasi-Diaz's invitation after "representatives from the Diocese" noted that Isasi-Diaz's website "contained a short document of remarks she had made during the same-sex marriage ceremony of a family member."

Isasi-Diaz preached at the same-sex wedding of her nephew at a Unitarian church in Washington in 2009.

"This union celebrates the presence of God in our lives, a God who chooses to be present in the love this couple has for each other," she preached.

"This is why this is a religious ceremony: not because it is in a church but because it celebrates the essence of our God, love . . . This wedding is a celebration of justice, for that these two men can publicly celebrate their love, can get married today in this church in front of this joyful cloud of witnesses, is a moment of triumph in the long struggle for justice for LGBT people."

In November 2009, U.S. Catholic bishops approved a pastoral letter that defined marriage as a public commitment between a man and a woman.

Isasi-Diaz was invited to speak at CBU by a committee that included the late Dr. Vanderhaar's widow, Janice Vanderhaar, as well as CBU faculty and others.